‘Israel Power (上)’, which builds peace through strength
news/cms/202411/27/rcv.YNA.20241127.PXI20241127016101009_R.jpg" data-width="1024" data-height="640"/> Enlarge photo Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is announcing approval of the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire plan on the 26th (local time). [사진 = 신화 연합뉴스]
Israel and the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire and the gunfire stopped for the first time in 13 months. There is an assessment that this has weakened the ‘axis of resistance (Iran, Hamas, Hezbollah)’.
On the 26th (local time), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire plan, saying, “We have made progress on seven fronts and are showing our strength throughout the Middle East.” He went on to say, “We have set Hezbollah back decades,” and added, “We approved the ceasefire plan to complete the eradication of Hamas and focus on the threat from Iran.”
In this way, Israel established ‘peace through strength.’ It has been 13 months since Hezbollah attacked Israel in October last year. Based on the time the Israeli army (IDF) entered the ground war in Lebanon, it achieved military and diplomatic victory two months later. The ceasefire plan included a 60-day transition period, Hezbollah withdrawal north of the Litani River, IDF withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and deployment of the Lebanese Army in the buffer zone.
news/cms/202411/27/news-g.v1.20241127.d2faf6f397bb4cf3a006f7ce22114fcf_R.jpg" data-width="650" data-height="1072"/> enlarge photo
The key is to guarantee Israel’s freedom of military action. Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “We maintain the IDF’s freedom of military action based on U.S. interests,” and added, “If Hezbollah violates the agreement and attempts to arm itself, we will attack.” The intention is to withdraw troops from southern Lebanon but cross the border at any time.
Now Israel plans to focus on the Gaza war. Prime Minister Netanyahu emphasized, “With Hezbollah disappearing from the front lines, Hamas has become isolated.” The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also pointed out, “Israel will be able to seize the opportunity to normalize diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia by isolating Hamas in the Gaza Strip.”
The background to Israel’s victory despite being surrounded by enemies is considered to be Jewish networks, public diplomacy, and civil-military cooperation. High-tech startups and global research and development (R&D) centers flocking to Tel Aviv, the economic capital, are also bastions that protect Israel’s security and economy.
Jewish networks are powerful outside our borders, in the United States. The whole world was tense ahead of the return of US President-elect Donald Trump, but only Israel smiled. On the 13th, President-elect Trump nominated former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel. This is the first appointment of an ambassador to a foreign country ahead of the inauguration of the second term of the Trump administration. This shows special interest in Israel. Steve Witkoff, a Jewish businessman, was appointed as special envoy to the Middle East. Representative Ellis Stefanik, who fiercely criticized anti-Semitic protests, was selected as ambassador to the United Nations.
This can be interpreted as putting Jewish and pro-Israel figures at the forefront. President-elect Trump has given strength to Israel. Barack Schein, Israel’s deputy ambassador to Korea, emphasized that “Israel is the only democratic country in the Middle East” and that “it shares the values of liberal democracy with the United States.”
The Biden administration is also taking Israel’s side. On the 22nd, when the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Netanyahu, he commented, “I fundamentally reject it.” President Joe Biden has said, “You don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist.”
A large number of Jewish people were elected in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives elections held on November 5th. According to the Associated Press and the Jewish Journal, the Jewish community produced 21 members of the House of Representatives and 7 senators. Although the Jewish community only accounts for 2.4% of the U.S. population, they have close relationships with both the Republican and Democratic parties based on their wealth from the financial and tech industries.
Lee Won-jae, head of Asia at Yozma Group, said, “Israel’s per capita gross domestic product (GDP) is higher than Korea’s, but President-elect Trump is fully supporting rather than pressuring us to increase defense spending,” and added, “This is thanks to the network that protects Israel’s security.”
Israel is also engaging in active public diplomacy as anti-Semitic protests continue to occur in the United States and Europe. We joined hands with Jewish associations in each country to emphasize that Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations. Behind the scenes, they are pressuring other countries to adopt a pro-Israel policy.
It appears that Israel’s ‘hidden power’ was behind Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoff’s absence from the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29). When a terrorist attack against Israeli soccer fans occurred in Amsterdam, Netherlands on the 7th, Prime Minister Schoff gave up his trip and threatened, saying, “We will not tolerate anti-Semitism.”
French President Emmanuel Macron personally appeared in the stands at the France-Israel national soccer team match held immediately after the terrorist attack. President Macron sided with Israel, saying, “This is to deliver a message of brotherhood and solidarity in response to anti-Semitism.”
Civil-military cooperation is also occurring organically. ‘Iron Dome’, the air defense network that protects Israel’s skies, is also the fruit of civil-military cooperation. Deputy Ambassador Shine said, “Former soldiers and civil servants are contributing to independent national defense by forming close relationships with defense companies,” and added, “Israel has maintained a strong network both inside and outside the country based on patriotism.”
